Missouri + North Texas Latest to Offer Kilgore’s Jonathan Shepherd

In less than four weeks, Kilgore wide receiver Jonathan Shepherd has gone from zero Division I FBS scholarship offers to one of the state's hottest recruits in the 2018 class.

Shepherd (6-3, 196) brought his total number of FBS opportunities to 15 on Thursday with offers from both Missouri and North Texas, he announced via Twitter.

Since Colorado State reached out for Shepherd's first FBS offer on April 25, the Bulldogs' pass-catcher has attracted attention from the likes of Houston, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Texas Tech.

Missouri is the first school from the SEC to offer Shepherd, while North Texas made him its eighth target among East Texas 2018 prospects.

Shepherd played within a run-oriented Kilgore offense last season, but he made the most of his touches. He caught 17 balls for 260 yards and scored twice through 12 games.

Kilgore pulled off big upset wins against Carthage and Henderson for a share of the District 9-4A Division I championship last season and finished the year with a 7-5 record overall. Carthage, which finished third place in the district behind Henderson and Kilgore, ended up winning the Class 4A Division I state title.

Shepherd joins Carthage running back Keaontay Ingram and Arp safety DeMarvion Overshown as local prospects with an offer Missouri.

Following back-to-back SEC East Division titles in 2013 and 2014, Missouri has fallen back to the pack the previous two seasons with consecutive sub-.500 campaigns.

Second-year coach Barry Odom is hoping to see improvement from last year's 4-8 finish.

North Texas is coming off a 5-8 season under first-year coach Seth Littrell. Despite the losing record, the Mean Green reached a bowl game for the first time since 2014.

UNT fell to Army, 38-31, in the Heart of Texas Bowl in Dallas.

Shepherd becomes eligible to sign with any program that offers him in December.

2018 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Tre Allison, John Tyler, OLB, 6-0, 200 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (7)
• Chance Amie, Tyler Lee, QB, 6-3, 190 — offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Houston, Iowa State, New Mexico, North Texas, Rutgers, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Tulane, ULL, Virginia (17)
• Xavier Benson, Pleasant Grove, LB, 6-0, 200 — offers from Arkansas State, Army, Memphis, North Texas, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Wyoming (12)
• Drake Centers, Tatum, OL, 6-4, 295 — offers from SMU, Texas State (2)
• Kylar Cooks, Liberty-Eylau, OL, 6-5, 250 — offers from Arkansas State, North Texas, Texas State (3)
• Kris Dike, Van, OL, 6-6, 283 — offers from Colorado, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tulane (8)
• Dekalen Goodson, John Tyler, DE/OLB, 6-2, 215 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Mississippi State, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (6)
• Trae Hall, Henderson, QB/ATH, 6-3, 185 — offers from Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State, Tulane, ULL, ULM (5)
• Conner Henson, Harmony, OL, 6-4, 250 — offers from ULL, ULM (2)
• Chasen Hines, Marshall, OL, 6-3, 340 — committed to LSU; additional offers from Arizona, Baylor, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Rice, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech (16)
• Tevailance Hunt, Texas High, WR, 6-2, 180 — committed to Kansas; additional offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Memphis, Nevada, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Southern Miss, Tulsa (14)
• Dewaylon Ingram, Carthage, WR, 6-0, 160 — offer from Arkansas State (1)
• Keaontay Ingram, Carthage, RB, 6-0, 198 — offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, UTSA (27)
• Malik Jackson, Lufkin, WR, 5-8, 165 — offer from Arkansas State (1)
• Kameron King, Marshall, OL, 6-3, 270 — offers from North Texas, Tulane (2)
• DeMarvion Overshown, Arp, S, 6-4, 196 — offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, UTSA (30)
• Jonathan Shepherd, Kilgore, WR, 6-3, 196 — offers from Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Kansas State, ULM, Missouri, New Mexico, Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech (15)
• Tyree Wilson, West Rusk, LB, 6-5, 225 — committed to Washington State; additional offers from Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Oklahoma State, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Wyoming (12)